On April 18th 2008, a Nintendo DS game called The World Ends With You was released in the UK to some level of critical acclaim. Within one month, it found its way into my handhelds' cartridge slot and within six months I'd clocked up over 100 hours on the thing. Since then, I've gone beyond 200 hours and reached the rare distinction of 100% completion, especially impressive considering the sprawling nature of the game. It was the intelligent plot, original battle system, stand-out soundtrack and wonderfully well-written script that took this beyond being any other action-RPG and straight to the top of my 'Favourite Games of All Time' list.
So when Square-Enix this morning put out a website that was so obviously, blatantly teasing a follow-up to TWEWY, I actually made an excited squeaky noise then struggled to pay any close attention to the website as my eyes were filling up with happy tears. Since then, I've spent half a day analysing what little there is on said website, which other people had already done before me. So, instead, I decided perhaps it would be better to fantasise. Here are my ideas for what a sequel to TWEWY could be like, and what I'd like if they took that approach. Let me begin-
1. Use Neku, Shiki, Beat, etc. in a non-Reapers Game storyline.
I don't want to spoil anything at all about the first game, but it's not too great a spoiler to know that the game is centred around something known as "The Reapers' Game", which hero Neku Sakuraba himself does not understand. However, by the end of TWEWY, the cast are no longer players in the Game, and so would it be best to keep it that way and show how their lives went after the events of the first, without them ending up re-enrolling for the Game? It'd make the most sense from a logistical, plot-centric point of view (Provided we want to keep Neku and co), given the harrowing task that is both entering and competing in the Game. The gameplay, though, would suffer as a result. Not being a part of the Game would mean writing off the battle system and almost all of the games' main features. It may work if it were a film or TV series, but as it's a video game, this probably wouldn't be the best option.
2. Have Neku, Shiki, Beat, etc. re-enter the Game
Makes less sense from a storyline point of view, but in terms of pleasing fans by keeping old characters and making the game familiar in feel, it'd be a winner. However, the mystery side of things would be gone (Neku can barely remember any more than his own name for most of the first game) and, really, it did feel like these characters arcs were completed within the Game. By giving them different challenges outside of it, as suggested in option #1, we may be able to find interesting things to do with them. Inside the Game? Well, I don't want to doubt Squeenix & Jupiter, but...
3. Have Neku, Shiki, Beat, etc. take on different roles in the Game
The Reapers who give the game its name run things in TWEWY. Perhaps we could see Neku take on the role of a Reaper, giving us the inverse of the original game, as he picks on innocent players, forcing them to face erasure day by day? It'd also raise some interesting moral questions that'd work plot-wise. If we're keeping the same cast, I feel this'd be the way to go, even if it isn't as close in keeping with its predecessor as option #2.
4. Focus on new players in Shibuyas' Reapers' Game
A whole new cast of characters. A fresh start for those who didn't play the original. A joyous rerun of the last game for those who did. Whether or not we'd see a similar story development with us not knowing the ins and outs of the Game until much later on, as before, would be up to the developers. Judging by the Shibuya-esque landscape on the teaser website, this could be where we're headed in TWEWY2. We could still have cameos from the likes of Neku, and those involved in the running of the game who made it out alive would obviously be ripe for a reappearance. By keeping everything non-story related quite similar to the first game, it'd open up more room for the developers to experiment with the new hardware, be it 3DS' eye-popping effects, Wii U networking & trickery or the Vitas' unique capacity to collect dust.
5. Focus on the Reapers' Game in a different city
If they move outside Japan, (Which, being from stubborn Tokyo-types, is unlikely) I'd love to see a version set in London. Well, ideally, I'd want it in Nottingham or Cardiff or somewhere I know my way around, but the iconic landscapes of Britainias' proud capital along with the recent Olympic hype might just carry it through. "Reach Big Ben. You have 60 minutes. Fail and face erasure", that kind of thing. A more realistic bet would be New York, but I'd be slightly disapointed if they went all mainstream on us. There was something original, fresh and (Though I hate to use the word) trendy about TWEWYs' setting. It's a place that looks stylish and cool (Words I tend not to use, admittedly) but was either totally unfamiliar to audiences, or a faithful-ish recreation of their home. We weren't comparing TWEWYs' Shibuya to thousands of other digital recreations of it. Admittedly, this criticism could also be levelled at London, or Paris, which would be my second choice. All the same, lets' go with Japan still, or head to Europe, please. No America.
6. Be a remake
I'd be slightly disappointed were this to be the case, but a TWEWY remake/port on Wii U would actually be quite good. The tablets' touch screen could be used to control Neku in battles, while the partner appears on the main telly screen. The expanded space on a Wii U disc over a DS cartridge would open us up for so much more content. Hopefully they also find some original things to do with the hardware as well, although I'd rather it wasn't shoehorned in. Oh, and online Tin Pin Slammer is a must. In fact, it's a must for any of these options. I can see myself topping my 200-hour record if I'm given a rankings table and a chance to proclaim myself the Shooter of the real world. Oooh, I'm excited already.
7. Or something else entirely
The best thing about TWEWY was that it felt different. These were developers of standard RPGs, freed from the shackles of a big franchise such as Kingdom hearts or Dragon Quest and given room to strech their legs. Freedom to experiment. And TWEWY was one of those very rare situations in which every risk they decided to take came off for them. Part of me doesn't want them to play it safe. Just gamble. Go where your creative minds take you. If this time, you chance your arm and it doesn't work, you still made the first game. You're eternally forgiven. That and I, and many other adoring fans, will buy it anyway. I love TWEWY probably a bit too much. But I reckon that's a good thing.
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